House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said Thursday that "I am still a no" on the American Health Care Act after Republican leaders canceled a vote on their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.

"I am desperately trying to get to 'Yes,'" the conservative North Carolina Republican told reporters after the vote cancellation was announced. "I think the president knows that. I told him that personally.

"With all of the Freedom Caucus, they are really trying to get to yes," he added. "That's why we met for such a long time.

"It was, at times, not contentious — but I would say very rigorous debate."

House leaders announced the AHCA vote would be delayed until Friday morning, after House Speaker Paul Ryan canceled a news conference on the status of the vote count. The lower chamber was expected to vote late Thursday on the legislation.

"We will move the vote until [Friday] morning, so we do not end up voting at 3 o'clock in the morning," White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told CNN. "That is what's happening.

"The debate [Thursday night] is going on as planned," she said.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy told CNN that leadership would vote on a measure to schedule the vote Friday morning.

"There is not enough time to take place [Thursday night] because we'd have to go to rules and move forward," the California Republican told Dana Bash. "But we will vote tonight on a rule that will allow us to vote [Friday].

"We'll have conference a little later this evening, bring people together about where we are.

In addition, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated more than 24 million people would lose coverage under ACHA.

Meadows told reporters "progress is being made" and slammed "this artificial deadline" of a Thursday vote as "actually something that we imposed on ourselves."

He praised President Donald Trump's involvement in lobbying Freedom Caucus members for ACHA and denied the delay was a setback for the White House.

"The president's engagement is unparalleled I believe in the history of our country to actually engage a number of members, whether they be moderates or conservatives," Meadows said. "It's indicative of a president that wants to solve problems.

"The Freedom Caucus is committed to working with the president to get this done."